Secret Of The Circlet
by Iruka-Yuywell
Summary: Where did the Tomb Keepers come from? And what is the strange ring that has found it's way back? (Completed)
1. Princess

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or anything in it. I do however own the Millennium Circlet *holds up hand* see! And I own Mariasha and Elasha...in as much as anyone could own Mariasha ¬.¬.  Yes the Winner-Barton names are from Gundam Wing, but that really isn't a big thing in this story.

A/N: This was inspired by an RP my friends and I do. If anyone remembers All My Gundams, then you'll get this. But I am trying to make it to where anyone can follow the story. Also if any thing in here ends up not matching the series...well I can't help that. I haven't seen beyond Battle city...

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**Secret of the Circlet**

From the Journal of Mrs. Alisha Diane Winner-Barton: 

December 18, AC 223

                I so wanted to tell them everything. I know they don't trust her and I didn't really expect them to. Sometime I still don't. Love is a fickle thing. I pray, yes me praying, that my husbands do not leave me over this. Still, I wouldn't blame them if they did.

                I guess since I can't tell anyone, I can at least write it all down. Someone besides Isis and Shadi should be keeping this record. Yami will need it one day, and I feel it is my duty as the circle-bearer, no as his family, to start it...

                I was first born as Princess Elasha of the royal house of Egypt. My father, great Pharaoh that he was, died in battle 3 months before my birth. This left the kingdom resting on the shoulders of my 9 year-old half-sister, Mariasha, and 6 year-old brother, Yami. 

                The shadow Games, ancient even then, were still played and held with great esteem. Our mother, due to my brother's young age, dueled for our family and kingdom. Though only Queen in name, she held a regal ness about her that I am thankful rubbed off onto my brother, my King, before her un-timely death at the hands of another duelist. For at that time, duel's were a matter of life and death and the Items that held their magic, were gifted only to the elite. My mother was the bearer of the Millennium Tauk.

                I was barely 6 years-old myself when my brother and sister were married and placed upon the thrones. My life was unchanged at the time beyond the loss of my mother. Yami and I had never been close. I was taught from birth to respect and honor my king, even though he was my brother. 

                Mariasha, on the other hand, seethed at the "boy" she was forced to be attached to. She had always felt that as the oldest, she should rule alone. However because she was born of a concubine and not the Queen, Yami was her only way to the throne. She had always had a great dislike for the "interlopers." But because Yami was king, she had to take out her frustrations on me and me alone.  She was queen now and I, as only a princess, bowed to her and took her wrath without question.

                The years passed and I grew to understand my place in the kingdom. I watched as my brother ascended to control the Millennium Puzzle and become one of the most feared of Duelists. In time my sister softened toward me some. We were never as close as sisters should be, but we did form a shaky friendship. That was why I was in the chamber if the underground city when the disaster struck.

                I had watched many games from the safety of my pillow next to my sister. Until that day I never understood the true danger of what took place in those torch-lit chambers. But I learned the meaning of fear that night. The night I faced the God Monsters...and lived.

TBC...

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	2. Duelist

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or anything in it. I do however own the Millennium Circlet *holds up hand* see! And I own Mariasha and Elasha...in as much as anyone could own Mariasha ¬.¬.  

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**Secret of the Circlet: Part 2**

It began as any night. The rituals to open the realms were preformed and the games commenced. The undercurrent of the kingdom has seemed steady. No one suspected Seth's betrayal. I know I was blinded by my childish crush, but to this day I can not explain how it slipped past the ever seeing eyes of my brother. When he stepped forward to challenge the king, a collective gasp permeated the room. 

                Many loyal to the pharaoh fell before Seth and his own followers. In the chaos I was able to slip out of the dueling chamber and back to the palace. In my admiration for my brother I had been experimenting with my mother's necklace and attempting to call upon her most cherished monster, the Red Eyes Black Dragon. I had hoped to one day prove myself in the duels and gain the favor of my brother, if not the sight of the high priest. 

                I had not, as my sister believed, resigned myself to the fate of some political marriage. Though I knew I found favor in the eyes of the fair haired, eastern prince my brother had chosen for me, I did not wish to leave Yami's side. I wanted to be worth something to my big brother.

                Inside my chambers I quickly dawned the garb of a dueling priestess and added a veil to hide my face until I had made my challenge. Clasping the Tauk about my neck, I made my way to back to the fighting. 

                The scene in the chamber was chilling, despite the desert heat. Few people remained standing on either side. I knew that if I didn't do something soon, this would all come down to Seth and my brother. Two people I did not wish to lose.

                Slipping into the thinning ranks, I waited till my turn would come. When it did I tried to banish my emotions as Mariasha had taught me to do for political matters. Still, with a breaking heart I shouted my challenge.

I had somewhat expected my sister's scream when my veil was removed, but what Seth did nearly crushed me. He laughed. He laughed because he believed me to be no challenge. I never did see what my brother did. My eyes fixed themselves only upon the desire of my heart and the threat to my family.

I summoned monster after monster and watched as each was crushed beneath Seth's sandal. I hadn't even a fraction of Seth or my brother's skill, yet I fought on to protect what was dear to me. Finally, with miniscule life points left and having been unable to make the sacrifice necessary to summon my mother's beloved dragon, I fell to my knees, head bowed, waiting for the end to come.

I was shocked when I felt a tug from behind. I opened my eyes to see Mariasha dragging me from the dueling field as my brother, the Pharaoh Yami, stepped forward to face the head priest face to face.  Before turning to battle, he shot me a look I never forgot. In his own silent way, he told me how much he did care for me. In that instant we were closer than ever we had been or ever would be again.

Praying to every deity of every pantheon I knew, I watched as two of the most important people to me fought for control of the world. Monster after monster faced off between the duelists. Nether one seemed able to take any ground over the other. Even my brother's cherished Dark Magician and Seth's beloved Blue Eyes were not enough. Nothing could have prepared me for when Seth pulled forth his rod and summoned a thing of hushed whispers and heart stopping fear. Obelisk the Tormentor.

The very existence of such monsters was mere legend till then. My own mother had told me the stories, but till then I had believed them mere fairy tales meant to scare little princesses into being good. Never had I believed such power could exist. But apparently, Yami had known. For his next move sent chills up my spine. He summoned Slifer the Sky Dragon.

The next few moments seemed to freeze in time. Both Duelists attack at one. Blinding light filled the chamber and each of the items began to glow with unearthly radiance. Burning heat engulfed my neck, so I tore to Tauk from me and threw it as far as I could. When it hit the floor, the ring that had once hung below the eye come off, still giving off an eerie light. 

Despite my warning cry, Mariasha reached forward to grab the small gold circle. The instant her hand touched it, her eyes grew vacant and her body fell forward, dead. Panic stricken, my eyes flew to my brother. He too lay staring into nothingness.

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A/N: Looks like I'm going to a third chapter.  ^__^   Sorry Tia!


	3. Queen

Disclaimer: I don't own YGO or anything in it. I do however own the Millennium Circlet holds up hand see! And I own Mariasha and Elasha...in as much as anyone could own Mariasha ¬.¬;

**Secret of the Circlet: Part 3**

The kingdom was devastated by the loss of both their King and Queen in one night's time. We did not know then, that though their bodies were dead, their souls lived on in the items that had taken those lives. Had I known, I most likely would have taken more care with the body of the ivory haired thief we later found dead in a holding chamber, clutching the Millennium Ring.

Seth was spared death that night by throwing the Millennium Rod away as I had the Tauk. However, he was not spared my wrath. Any feelings I had held for him died with my siblings. Striping him of titles, I had him imprisoned and forgot him. I still don't know what ever became of him after that. At least until he was reborn as Seto Kaiba.

My brother and sister left no heirs. I knew for a fact that they had never consummated their marriage. Mariasha and I had long suspected that stern faced Yami preferred the serving boys to any of the concubines in his rather small harem. We couldn't prove this, however.

As the only remaining member of the first circle of the royal family, the kingdom fell to me. The marriage my brother had arranged for me took place mere days after his burial. The difference being that instead of returning to my husband's land to live out my life as the wife of a prince only third in line for the throne, we remained in my home land, assuming a throne I never thought would be mine.

Moving into my mother's chambers was no easy task for me. So many memories clung to the walls and shadows of that room. Going through what few things of hers that were left there was even harder. Thumbing through one of her books, I found a message she had left for me. It seemed that with the help of the Tank, my mother had seen what was to happen to Yami, Mariasha, and myself. She had also foreseen our return to the world of the living and the dangers we would face.

Taking her prophesies, I had a shrine built to my brother and there hid what she had said he would need. She, even from the grave, still had things to teach me and a world to try and save. I find it most interesting now, that she did not see her own return to this realm and how she would have a direct hand, like myself, in keeping it's order.

In due time my husband and I were blessed with children. Our oldest, a daughter, was full of beauty and grace from the day she was born. Our next child, a son, was his father's pride and joy. Sorrow and doubt clouded me after the loss of our second daughter, but I was soon redeemed in my husband's eyes by the birth of another son. He and I shared a bond that to this day I can not find words to describe.

Though there was love in my marriage, it was never more than that of two friends. We loved our offspring, but I had been left so weakened by the birth of our second son, we decided it was best for us both not to have anymore. Our friendship grew stronger because of this. When my husband finally departed for the afterlife, I grieved him, wholeheartedly, as a wife should.

We had always encouraged our children to follow their hearts and do what made them happy. After their father's death, they each, as capable adults, chose their own life paths.

Our daughter wished to be married to a prince from her father's side of the family. I saw how much she loved him and saw to it that she could do so. As a wedding gift I gave her the ring that had fallen from my mother's Tank. Where it went from there and how it crossed dimensional barriers to find it's way back to me in this life, I'll never know.

Our oldest son, not wishing to take the throne that could have been his, entered the priesthood in the service of Anubus. I entrusted to him, and his order, the remainder of the millennium items. When trouble arose around the items, I had my son take the Tank and Rod and fortify himself, his wife, and their young son inside the shrine to my brother. Thus, sadly, was born the order of the Tomb Keepers.

I know that both Isis and Odion blame themselves for the birth of Marik and the horrors Malik faced as a child. However, the true blame is my own. If I had not bound a third of my lineage to the cause of my brother's return, than none of it would have happened.

Maybe it would have been better if my brother's memory had faded. Maybe the terrible things done to and by my line would…no. As much as it pains me, what has happened was, and always has been, out of my hands. I've done what I can to make amends. But enough about my mistakes and regrets.

My dearest, youngest son was the one to ascend the thrown upon his father's passing. He had always had a sharp mind. I never doubted that he would be a fair and good ruler to the people I had come to love. Knowing things were in the most capable of hands, I retired to the shrine to help my eldest in his work, which went well until my death.

I know nothing more until my re-birth in another dimension and the eventual awakening of these memories. I hope that if and when Yami finds this, he can forgive me for keeping it from him. He is not ready to remember all yet, but the time will come and I hope to be there when it does.

_A.N.: Goddess but that took forever to finish…I hope it's up to expectations…_


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